Ribbon holder



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ATTORNEY United States Patent RIBBON HOLDER Robert E. Herrick, Muscogee County, Ga. Application December 27, 1955, Serial No. 557,428 Claims. (Cl. 40-15) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or for Government purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to a ribbon holder, that is, to a means for holding or supporting a plurality of campaign ribbons or badges and any other ribbons or badges which may be awarded from time to time.

A primary object of the invention consists in providing means for securing together, as a unit, all of the ribbons and/or badges which may be awarded to an individual, so that they may be readily applied to a coat or shirt and just as readily transferred from one coat or shirt to another.

Another object of the invention consists in providing means for supporting a plurality of ribbons on a coat or shirt without undulyperforatingthe garment.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a ribbon holder which is so constructed that the various ribbons are automatically caused to be properly spaced according to regulations of the Department of the Army or other branch of the Government.

A still further object of the invention consists in the provision of a ribbon holder in which may be provided means to indicate the proper relative location of the various ribbons in accordance with the regulations of the Department of the Army, etc.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the ribbon holder shown as partly assembled;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the several elements which may be employed in forming the holder;

Figure 3 is a plan view of the holder with a plurality of ribbons mounted thereon and showing excess material partly cutaway;

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the completed unit in place on a blouse or coat which latter is partly broken away;

Figures 5 and, 6 are enlarged sectional views taken on lines 5-5, and 6-6 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary plan view of a card bearing certain legends;

Figure 8 is a plan view of the two elements of a modified construction;

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 9-9 of Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a plan view of another modified construction;

Figure 11 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 11-11 of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a plan view of a still further modified construction, and

Figure 13 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 13-13 of Figure 12.

Referring to the drawings in more detail and by reference numerals, the numeral 1 indicates a backing mem- 2,847,773 Patented Aug. 19, 1958 her which may be formed of plastic material such as cellulose acetate, etc., which is sufiiciently flexible to conform itself to the body of the wearer. The numeral 2 indicates a sheet of material of the same size and shape as the flexible backing 1 and is preferably made of a fabric of a color approximating the color of the blouse or coat on which the ribbon holder is to be attached. However, it is to be understood that in lieu of a fabric covering 2 the flexible backing 1 may be coated with a coloring matter substantially corresponding to the color of the blouse or coat to which the ribbon holder is to be attached, and which would be the olive drab or khaki of the Army, the blue of the Air Force, etc., as will appear hereinafter. The numeral. 3 represents a sheet of very thin paper corresponding in shape and size to the elements 1 and 2 but it should be mentioned that this element 3 is not absolutely essential to the proper functioning of the present invention.

The flexible backing 1 is provided with a plurality of openings 4 arranged in longitudinal and transverse rows, the openings being spaced in a manner to most advantageously receive the anchoring pins of the various ribbons, emblems, etc., which may be awarded. In other words, it is important that the openings of each row and the rows themselves be suitably spaced so as to correspond to the regulation of the Department of the. Army or other branches of the Government relating to the arrangement and spacing of the ribbons and badges awarded to individuals and units from time to time.

The fabric sheet 2, if one is provided to produce the desired color for the ribbon holder, may be adhesively' or otherwise connected to the backing sheet 1. The thin sheet 3 of paper or the like, if used, is provided with indicia 6 corresponding in number and position with the slots 4 of the backing 1 and adapted toregister with slots 4 as indicated in Figure l and suitably hatched or shaded to serve as a guide in directing the user in placing the various decorations at the most propitious and advantageous positions on the holder. It is to be noted that this indicia is variously shaded so as to denote Misc ribbons, Combat, Korean, etc. It should be noted however that in lieu of the paper sheet 3 the indicia 6 might be placed directly on the sheet 2 or on the face of backing 1 and its coloring matter, if coloring matter should be used in lieu of the sheet 2, as more fully described hereinafter.

The ribbons, badges, etc., are indicated generally by the numeral 7 and are arranged, in accordance with the indicia 6, on the backing member as shown in Figure 3. The ribbons 7 are each preferably provided with a pair of prongs or the like at each end, as indicated by the numeral 7; and these prongs may be passed into the opening 4 and bent against the back face of the holder, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. The sheet A on which the indicia 6 also appears, bears the descriptive matter B defining the various items represented by the legends. After the ribbons are arranged in accordance with regulations the excess material of the sheets is cut or trimmed off as partly indicated by the line 8 in Figure 3, and when completely trimmed the unit bearing the ribbons,

which in the present instance is of the size and shape shown in Figure 4, is placed on the blouse or coat indicated by numeral 9. In order to mount the completed unit on a blouse two or more fasteners of any conventional form may be employed. In the present instance the separable fasteners or buttons 10 are used and are provided with separable caps 11 to be snapped over the pointed ends 12 of the button shanks 13. It will be noted that the buttons 10 are passed through openings in the backing 1 prior to the attachment of certain of the ribbons so that the buttons are concealed; and of course after the shanks 13 have been passed through the material of the blouse the caps 11 are snapped into position as shown in Figures and 6.

The cloth sheet 2, when used, may be secured to the plastic backing 1 in any preferred manner, and the thin paper sheet, when used, may be secured to the fabric sheet 2 in any preferred manner provided this latter securing means is removable or at least presents no unsightly appearance. It is to be noted also that in lieu of using the thin paper sheet 3 the indicia 6 may be placed directly on the cloth 2 or on the colored surface of the backing 1, as shown in Figures and 12. Should the legends be applied directly to the cloth sheet or the colored surface of the backing element, chalk or other material which may be readily brushed 01f should be used, and may be applied by spraying through a stencil, etc. When the thin paper sheet 3 is employed it will be understood that it is sufficiently thin to permit of its being scraped away by a pointed instrument such as a pin, needle, etc.

The modified form of the invention shown in Figures 8 and 9 comprises only two elements, namely, the flexible backing sheet 1 and the cloth or other fabric sheet which is superposed thereon. In this form of the invention the sheet 1 is provided with the uniformly spaced slots 4 for receiving the pins 7' of the ribbons 7, and the sheet 15 is provided with the removable indicia 6 for indicating the relative arrangement of the ribbons and their proper spacing.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figures 10 and 11, only a single sheet is employed, namely, the flexible backing sheet of cellulose acetate or the like. In this form of the invention the slots 4 are omitted and in lieu thereof the sheet is weakened at the points 21 by reducing the thickness of the material. These weakened areas correspond in position to the position of the slots 4 of the previously described forms of the invention, but are preferably located on the back of the sheet. The front of the sheet may be provided with the removable indicia 6 as a guide in the relative arrangement of the several ribbons.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 12 and 13, asingle sheet is also employed, namely, the flexible backing sheet of cellulose acetate or the like. In this form of the invention in lieu of the slots 4 or weakened area 21 the backing is provided with relatively narrow slits 31 having a width corresponding substantially to the diameter of the fastening pins 7, which frictionally engage the walls of the slit and thereby prevent longitudinal shifting of the ribbons. These slits correspond in position to the position of the slots 4 of the previously described forms of the invention, and the front of the sheet may be provided with the removable indicia 6 as a guide in the relative arrangement of the several ribbons.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings it will be apparent that I have devised an exceedingly simple construction of ribbon holder which may support in properly spaced and centered positions any number of the various service decorations, that may be quickly applied to or removed from a coat or shirt as a unit, and that damage to the garment by many pin holes caused by the application of individual decorations, is avoided or at least reduced to a minimum.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described what I now believe to be the preferred forms of the invention but inasmuch as various minor changes may be made in structural details without departing from the spirit of the invention it is intended that all such changes be included within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A ribbon holder comprising a backing member, a covering on the outer face of the backing member having a color approximating that of the garment with which it is to be associated, said holder provided with pin-receiving openings, and a sheet of material removably mounted on the backing and provided with markings to indicate the proper location of any ribbons to be mounted on the holder.

2. A ribbon holder comprising a backing member, a covering on the outer face of the backing member having a color approximating that of the garment with which it is to be associated, said-holder provided with uniformly spaced pin-receiving openings, and a thin sheet of paper removably mounted on the backing and provided with markings to indicate the proper ribbons to be attached to the backing at the respective openings.

3. A ribbon holder comprising a backing member of a color corresponding to that or" the garment with which it is to be associated, said holder provided with uniformly spaced pin-receiving openings, and a thin sheet of paper removably mounted on the backing and provided with markings to indicate the proper ribbons to be attached to the backing at all of the respective openings and means for securing the holder to the garment.

4. A ribbon holder comprising a plastic backing of a color corresponding with that of the garment with which it is to be'as'sociated, said backing provided with a plurality of spaced slots having widths corresponding approximately of the diameter of pins adapted to be received in the slots, and a thin sheet of paper removably mounted on the backing and provided with marks to indicate the proper ribbons to be attached to the backing at the respective openings, and means for securing the holder to the garment.

5. A ribbon holder comprising a plastic backing of flexible material of a color corresponding to that of the garment to which it is to be associated and providedv with a plurality of spaced weakened portions adapted to be penetrated by the fastening means on a ribbon or the like, and a thin sheet of paper removably mounted on the backing and provided with markings to indicate the proper ribbons to be attached to the backing at the respective openings, and means for securing the holder to the garment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 780,086 Brewer et al. Jan. 17, 1905 1,460,111 Panikolf June 26, 1923 1,612,035 Lorenzo Dec. 28, 1926 2,396,158 Cohen Mar. 5, 1946 2,555,135 Johnson May 29, 1951 2,681,511 Seton June 22, 1954 2,741,851 Beradinelli Apr. 17, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 682,966 Germany Oct. 25, 1939 915,360 France July 22, 1946 

